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Transgender Jockey Controversy Update/Ann Coulter

Pimlico officials have informed transgender jockey Sloan McGill, who is scheduled to ride on Saturday's Preakness undercard, that he will not be allowed to use the male jockeys’ room at the Maryland track.

McGill currently rides at Thistledown in Ohio, where he uses the male jockeys’ room.

Like Thistledown, Pimlico has both male and female jockeys’ quarters, but informed McGill by e-mail on Monday afternoon that he will be dressing in a special area with a bathroom and shower located just behind the regular riders’ rooms.

“This is a clear violation of Mr. McGill’s rights and we plan to file a temporary restraining order on Tuesday,” said Alan Garfield of Dershowitz and Associates, who has been retained by McGill.

Sloan, a 22-year-old apprentice, transitioned from a woman to a man five years ago and has been riding since October. He is named on recent Thistledown winner Hark the Legend, who is scheduled to be entered Wednesday in a six-furlong allowance race on Saturday’s Preakness Day program.

In a related story that appeared on bizstandardnews.com, right-wing commentator Ann Coulter blasted McGill on her radio show Monday afternoon, then hours later was arrested for attempting to use a woman’s restroom in North Carolina after attending a rally in that state.

Coulter was reportedly outraged at her arrest.

“I can’t believe the nerve of this rent-a-cop,” she said according to the conservative newspaper The Christian Chronicle. “He’s probably an illegal.”

Security guard Jorge Rodriguez later apologized for his actions, but said it was easy to believe that Coulter was transgender.

“I didn’t know who she was,” said Rodriguez. “But look at that Adam’s apple and those arms. I thought she was a man for sure.”